In physics, energy can be distilled down to what is perhaps an overly simplistic definition—the force that causes things to move. For live sporting events, that manifestation is clear, as crowds react to the ebb and flow of the game or match, rising and falling with every play. In short, the energy endemic to live sports events is the fuel that powers the entire ecosystem.
The return to live sports
At no point in modern sports history has that been more comparatively evident than the scenes set for major sporting events in 2021 versus 2020. The return of fans to stadiums and arenas has coincided with increases in television viewership for events, like the NBA Conference Finals; its 2021 iteration played out in front of raucous crowds instead of a controlled, fan-less environment. Or the delayed Euro 2020, the final match of which between global football powerhouses England and Italy was the most-viewed Euro match in US history.
While the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic games had been hotly anticipated, the announcement that spectators would be restricted from attending the events put a damper on the live and televised experience. That impact has been seen across the landscape, from media to sponsors and advertisers who are concerned about the fan-free experience. Toyota, a top-tier IOC sponsor, recently pulled television spots related to the games in Japan because of the mixed sentiment about hosting them in the market. This could be interpreted as a tacit acknowledgement that, without fans in the stadium, these global, regional and local sporting events lose a bit of what endears them to fans around the globe.
The social impact
Fan attendance at live sports events represents a sense of societal normalcy. Humans are communal creatures, and that sense of community is one of the most resonant elements of sports. Its absence has resulted in pent-up demand in the marketplace, and the numbers bear that out. According to Momentum research, sports fans are 54% more likely than non-fans to attend sporting events that they might have said no to in the past, and 37% more likely than non-fans to try new experiences.
The energy that live fans provide is infectious. It reverberates in the venue, transmits through the broadcast or stream, and supercharges the players on the field or court. Aside from anecdotal messages of appreciation from competitors about the energising nature of packed venues, there is even scientific research that suggests crowd energy and positive reinforcement lead to heightened performance from athletes. From the deafening crowds in Phoenix and Milwaukee during the NBA Finals, to the estimated 60,000 in Wembley Stadium for the Euro 2020 final, the symbiotic relationship between the game and its spectators has never been clearer.
Brands' role in the game
It is similarly clear that brands can play a critical role in ushering that energy back into live events, easing the transition for those who might still be somewhat hesitant to pack arenas. American Express and Verizon led the way in providing frictionless shopping experiences for fans, which they deployed at the Barclays Center, home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets and the WNBA's New York Liberty, and at the Indianapolis 500, one of the world's premier motorsports events.
Brand involvement in the contactless experience goes beyond transactions. American Express also leveraged QR codes to provide a companion experience at Wimbledon that gave fans access to the Champions Rally, a virtual experience featuring tennis star Andy Murray. In the absence of fans, the pandemic proved that there is a place for virtual experiences in the ecosystem as well, even in the return to live. In this hybrid environment, driven by fan energy, brands can increase points of connectivity by leveraging their own technology and creativity to evolve the experience further.
Sports fans welcome this synergistic relationship. Even beyond that, fans are expecting brands to step up. Momentum's research also tells us that 80% of sports fans believe that brands should be focusing on sponsoring a league or team to help support the sports community's future. And that future will always be centred on what is best for the industry: finding new and interesting ways for fans to access the game to usher in the power their energy provides.
Perhaps, at its core, energy is that easy to define in the context of live sports—the overwhelming force that connects and intensifies the sense of community and connectivity. Best illustrated by its absence, it is incumbent on the entire ecosystem to ensure that it remains a ubiquitous presence for a sustainable future.
Sampson Yimer is senior vice-president, sponsorship consulting, at Momentum Worldwide.
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